Two Arizona Stores Involved in DSW Shoe Warehouse Data Theft

(Phoenix, Ariz. – April 19, 2005) Attorney General Terry Goddard today announced that consumers who shopped at two Phoenix area DSW Shoe Warehouse stores between November 2004 and February 2005 may be victims of identity theft. DSW Shoe Warehouse revealed the results from its fraud investigation results yesterday. The company originally announced a much smaller data theft last month.

The two Arizona stores affected are located at 3411 W. Frye Road in Chandler and 21001 N. Tatum Boulevard in Phoenix.

The investigation revealed that transaction information from 1.4 million credit card purchases completed at 108 stores nationally was compromised. In addition, transaction information involving 96,000 checks was also stolen. The thefts occurred between mid-November 2004 and mid-February 2005.

"This type of announcement is becoming all too familiar,” Goddard said. “The security lapses by ChoicePoint, Bank of America, LexisNexis and other companies that store consumer’s personal data announced over the last three months emphasize the need for more adequate protection.”

DSW Shoe Warehouse indicated that information stolen in the credit card or debit card transactions included the card number, name and transaction amount. If a check was involved, the information stolen included the checking account number and driver’s license numbers.

DSW Shoe Warehouse is working to contact customers who used checks as payment. So far the company has contact information for about 88 percent of those customers, and they will receive a letter from DSW Shoe Warehouse in the next few days, Goddard said.

"My office supported a bill in the State Legislature this year that would have required companies to notify consumers when a data theft happens,” Goddard said. “The legislation failed to receive a hearing and died in committee. Congress is now looking to impose this basic requirement. If the Congress fails to act, we may need to come back to the Legislature."